March 11, 2024

Some of the people who attended Kansas City Chiefs playoff game in January had to undergo amputations after suffering frostbite, a Missouri hospital said last week. Temperatures got down to -20C, but thanks to the beer, fans didn't seem to mind at all.

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In this week’s email:

The big idea: Naxos takes Chandos under its wing
Orchestral maneuvers: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra announces first Asia tour
Opera news: Detroit stages rare John Cage operas
Laugh of the week
Around the web: the story behind the Sriracha hot sauce shortage, anatomical art, Home Depot cat, plus more curious internet finds.

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear!

For the complete top 20, tune into Classical Chartz with the New Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore every Saturday from 3-5 pm EST!

THE BIG IDEA

Naxos Takes Chandos Under Its Wing

Classical music recording juggernaut Naxos has announced that they have acquired the small independent label Chandos Records.

They intend to preserve Chandos' unique voice, especially in terms of quality releases.

Founded in 1979, Chandos has earned a reputation for quality releases, which have grown to over 3,000 recordings. It was this reputation that caught the eye of Naxos's founder, Klaus Heymann.

Longtime Managing Director Ralph Couzens will stay at the helm, and Naxos will assist with handling Chandos' distribution via Naxos Global Logistics. This in-house distribution service includes manufacturing, marketing, and licensing that will help Chandos cut production costs and streamline operations.

Quality over quantity

Chandos isn't just a label; it's a showcase of talent, releasing up to 50 new titles yearly. Its excellence hasn't gone unnoticed, snagging Gramophone's "Record Label of the Year" just last year. This acquisition is unique, especially considering the trend of independents joining larger conglomerates, like Hyperion's dance with Universal Music last year and Apple’s surprise acquisition of BIS.

What does this mean for Chandos’ artists?

Naxos's global distribution network is a game-changer for Chandos' talent, which includes Edward Gardner, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis, John Wilson, Louis Lortie, James Ehnes, Brodsky Quartet, and BBC Orchestras. They get the spotlight they deserve, while the label can dive deeper into what it does best—crafting exceptional classical music experiences.

Looking to the horizon

As this partnership unfolds, it's not just about keeping the music going. It's about innovation in how we experience classical music. From vinyl to the digital stream, this merger should help solidify classical releases in an age when selling just 1,000 copies is considered a huge success.

Despite the challenges ahead, this looks like a win-win. — MV

TOUR DE HEADLINES

Andrea and Matteo Bocelli performing 'Time to Say Goodbye' 30th Anniversary Special Edition during the 'In Memoriam' at the 2024

Andrea Bocelli Sings Moving ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ Duet With Son Matteo at Oscars Ceremony — Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo delivered a poignant duet of 'Time to Say Goodbye' at the Oscars, paying tribute to industry figures lost in the past year. | ClassicFM

Instrument repair documentary wins at the 2024 Oscars —"The Last Repair Shop," a documentary short about four craftspeople maintaining musical instruments for LAUSD students, has won an Oscar. | Los Angeles Times

Kronos Quartet Violinist John Sherba, Violist Hank Dutt to Retire From Group After Forty-Five-Plus Years — John Sherba and Hank Dutt, longstanding members of the Kronos Quartet, announced their retirement after over 45 years, marking the end of an era for the ensemble as they conclude its 50th-anniversary season. | Nonesuch

‘Opera Has Never Been White’: The Invisible Legacy of Black Women in Classical Music — Exploring the overlooked legacy of Black women in classical music, highlighting efforts to reclaim and celebrate their contributions despite historical erasure. | 19th

196-Year-Old Piano Store Closing Its Doors for Good — A historic 196-year-old piano store in Getzville closes due to debt, marking the end of an era with a liquidation sale, as changing technology and consumer interests shift away from traditional musical instruments. | WGRZ

French Experts X-Ray Violin to Uncover Paganini’s Secret — French experts X-rayed Paganini's 18th-century violin, "Il Cannone," to explore its exceptional sound quality, creating a detailed 3D model at the European Synchrotron in Grenoble. | France24

ORCHESTRAL MANEUVERS

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Photo: Met Opera)

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Announces First Asia Tour

On Friday, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra announced its first tour to Asia in a press release. From June 19th-30th, Yannick Nézet-Séguin will lead the 110-person ensemble in concerts in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan with singers Lisetta Oropesa, Christian Van Horn and Elīna Garanča. Their programs will include operatic works by Debussy, Bartók, Wagner and Gounod, as well as orchestral works by Brahms, Mozart, Mahler and the American composer Jessie Montgomery.

Why it’s happening: While the Metropolitan Opera’s HD productions are regularly broadcast in Asia, the Met General Director Peter Gelb related that this tour will further allow the ensemble to reach its “global constituency.” Asia is also a booming market for classical music, which the organization hopes will generate some new fans and funds to help account for the losses incurred during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Digging deeper: Although the Met has previously toured to Japan, this tour marks their first-ever performances in South Korea and Taiwan. Both Gelb and Nézet-Séguin cited music’s unifying power as a motivator when planning this tour, which will include Jessie Montgomery’s “Hymn for Everyone,” originally premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. — SS

OPERA NEWS

A scene from John Cage’s Europeras: 3 & 4 (Photo: Detroit Opera)

Detroit Stages Rare John Cage Operas

This weekend, the Detroit Opera revived the pioneering composer and theorist John Cage’s rarely performed Europeras: 3 & 4. The opera was staged by Yuval Sharon and the cast included star singers Davóne Tines and Susan Graham.

The backstory: John Cage’s Europeras: 3 & 4 are considered Cage’s “middle operas.” They consist of a 70-minute musical collage of aleatoric representations of Western art music, which unfold according to the I Ching. The title suggests a representation of European operas as well as “your operas,” and for the original performance in 1990, audiences were given Madlib-style programs. Each performance of the operas is different as audiences open their ears to new realms of sound, like in Cage’s famous 4’33.”

Zoom out: Presenting Cage’s works can be a risk for organizations whose audiences expect the classics. Director of the Detroit productions Yuval Sharon summed up the ethos of the Cage works in an interview with the New York Times; they’re all about allowing performers and audiences to pay attention in different ways. — SS

QUIZ

Nothing says Monday like a mini-crossword.

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi premieres in 1867

🗣️ Really? Are you ready to journey into the fascinating world of anatomical art? Read on.

☢️ Creepy: Listen to this imaginary radio transmission from the post-apocalyptic year 2156.

🌶️ Interesting: What is really behind the worldwide sriracha hot sauce shortage? Find out.

🐈 Awww: Every Home Depot needs a resident cat.

LAUGH OF THE WEEK

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Today's email was brought to you by Sara 'Middle Operas" Schabas and Michael "Under His Wing" Vincent.

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